(Disclaimer: if you are going to try these, and set them on fire, for *@(&’s sake be careful. We hold no responsibility if you set yourself, your girlfriend, your dog, your house, or any of your earthy possessions on fire, got it?)

Valentines Day can be rough. You are damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. Hallmark has built a diabolical scheme to extort money out of you if you do happen to have someone in your life, and if you don’t, it makes you want run screaming every time you see yet another store plastered in pink and red. Or at least, that’s how we feel about it.

Enough with the guilt and shame! We have a drink for any occasion you celebrate this holiday, whether it be a new romance, ignoring it completely, or dressing in black and …

Our friends at Sound Spirits gave us an update: they are now fully licensed, federal and state, including a Washington State Craft Distilling license. They have their City of Seattle inspections next week, and they are ready to roll.

For those of you that don’t know, Sound Spirits is one of the first licensed distilleries in the city of Seattle since Prohibition, and will be turning out small batch, craft spirits very, very soon.

Cupid better watch out this Valentine’s Day. You will soon be a skilled matchmaker in your own right this holiday. Instead of bow and arrow, you’ll be armed with chocolate and wine. Can’t be done, you say? Check all preconceived notions at the Lonely Hearts Club door and get ready to capture the palate’s desire. Whether settling in for a quiet night at home, gathering with friends, or nestling up to that special someone, take your Valentine’s Day to the next level. Pair some decadent Theo Chocolate with a delicious Merlot, or indulge in a few items from Fiori Chocolatiers to go with a perfect Port, trust me, your taste buds will thank you for the experience!

Take the same approach when pairing wine with sweets as you would when pairing wine with savory items. Try to account for and create …

Back in 1909 there was a guy named Ernest Shackleton, who was out exploring Antartica. He was forced to abandon his exploration because of a lack of supplies, and he abandoned 5 crates of alcohol in his haste to leave before the winter ice set in. In all, he left 3 crates of scotch and 2 of brandy.

The scotch was made by McKinlay and Co, and the recipe is no longer distilled. The existence of the crates has been known since 2006 when a hut used by the expedition was discovered, but the crates were locked in ice. The rescue attempt was made by Whyte & Mackay, who want to test the 100 year old recipe so they can (we can only assume) attempt to capitalize on the incident. Although, we do admit, it is pretty cool.

Mardi Gras, the yearly festival of limited moral convictions and general debauchery is upon us again. No, we are nowhere near the city of New Orleans, but we imagine that this year is especially crazy due to the fact that the Saints have won the Superbowl during the yearly celebration. Ah, to be a fly on the wall on Bourbon Street.

But Bourbon Street isn’t the only place you can find these pious partiers. Any country that is primarily Catholic in it’s religious affiliation has a celebration, although some hit the sauce harder than others. It’s Carnival in Brazil, which in the city of Salvador is the biggest in the world. Carnevale di Venezia in Venice, Italy has been going on since 1268. It’s Rijeka Carnival in Croatia, Fastelavn in Denmark, and the entire Carribbean parties it up before Ash Wednesday hits. …

We recently had a chance to sit down with Robbie Williams, who is with Seattle based J.Wilbur 1931 BBQ Collection, and is the creator of J. Wilbur Bloody Mary Flavoring, a complement to the line of delicious BBQ sauces that have been percolating the Northwest market since 2005.

A month after its release, his creation is doing very well and is already in 40 area restaurants. The success? We think Robb is being modest when he says its just that he “knows a lot of people”. Robb has been in the industry for 15 years here in Seattle, and actually moved out here from Minneapolis with college buddy Andrew Holes to work in a BBQ restaurant back in 1995. The restaurant was owned by Andrew’s family, and while the restaurant isn’t there anymore, the recipe for the BBQ sauce was passed …